SYRIA: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

You don’t have to be a news junkie to know that Syria has been in the news quite a bit over the past ten years, and especially in recent months. This area has long stood center stage in conflict, an unfortunate position for its people and rich cultural heritage. In an effort to understand this country and the situation a bit more, I thought I’d take the Howard Zinn approach and dig in a bit on the silent victims: their cultural and culinary arts.

The origin of the name Syria is thought to have been stemmed from several sources, but generally seems to lead back to Greek, derived from variations of Assyria. The borders have changed over time, but the land known as Syria was designated to being along the eastern part of the Mediterranean.

Today, Syria is located in The Levant, the area between the eastern side of the Mediterranean and north of the Arabian Peninsula. It’s surrounded by Turkey to the north; Iraq to the east; Jordan to the south; and Israel [near the Golan Heights] and Lebanon to the west. It also shares part of its western coastline with the Mediterranean Sea. The Euphrates is a major river that winds its way through Syria and is one of the most important rivers in the region. Its climate ranges from arid desert to a semiarid steppe climate, although the areas along the coast and along the rivers are fairly fertile.

Syria lies in the region where many facets of civilization were born. Agriculture and cattle breeding were a couple of the things that were developed in this area since 10,000 BC. There is also evidence of tools and trading from this time. Several kingdoms were all vying for dominance for many centuries, but they were also subject to foreign invasions as well. Eventually most of this area fell under the Neo Assyrian Empire, which brought in Aramaic as their lingua franca until the Arab Islamic movement took over in the 7-8th centuries AD. The Greeks, under Alexander the Great, took over in 330 BC and gave it its name of Syria. It later became part of the Roman Empire, and then the Byzantine when the Roman Empire split up. Christianity became the main religion and many areas in Syria are significant in Christian history (Paul’s conversion took place along the Road to Damascus). Muhammad traveled through this area, and not long after was incorporated under the Umayyad Dynasty and later Abassid Dynasty. During this time, Arabic became the official language. The Middle Ages were marked by the Crusades and other periods of attacks and fighting for the land, some (much?) of it linked to the trade routes along the Silk Road (when they discovered a sea route, they didn’t worry about that so much). During the early 1500s, the Ottomans ventured into this area, and it was actually pretty peaceful among all the different ethnic groups here. As they entered WWI, the Ottomans were tied to the Armenian and Assyrian Genocides, and at the end of the war, it was placed under a French mandate. After a series of revolts, Syria finally was granted its independence in 1946. Not long into their independence, they launched an attack on Palestine to destroy Jewish towns. After a series of coups and in the aftermath of the Suez conflict, Syria welcomed Russia’s help, but that made some other countries nervous. The Ba’athist Party took over in the early 1960s, followed by several wars involving Egypt, Israel, Syria, and Lebanon from the late 1960s to the early 1980s. There’s been a civil war in Syria since the early 2000s, and millions have fled the conflict as refugees.

The capital city of Damascus is located in the southwest corner of the country. It’s also one of the oldest, continuously lived in cities in the world, with references to it dating back to the 15th century BC. The old city, including what’s left of its ancient walls and gates, is listed as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It used to be the second-largest city in Syria behind Aleppo, but the war may have changed that now. Damascus is listed as being in a cold desert climate, which means if you like frequent sunshine and low humidity for much of the year, this is it. The vast majority of the people living here are Syrian Arabs, with Kurds as the largest minority. Damascus is a cultural capital, boasting many colleges and universities, museums, sports arenas, resorts, restaurants, and shopping areas.

Although largely dependent on oil and agriculture, the Syrian Civil War has had a devastating effect on its economy. One major source of revenue was from phosphate mining, but Syria lost that to ISIS several years ago. They mainly rely on credit from their main trade partners: Russia, Iran, and China. The once thriving tourism industry has fallen drastically while unemployment and poverty rates soar. Struggling against global sanctions from the US and Europe, the oil industry has also taken a hit.

Nearly three-quarters of Syrians are Sunni Muslims, mostly from the Sunni Arabs, although there are also Kurds and Turkoman populations in there. There are smaller numbers of Shia Muslims, Christians, and other religions.

The official language is Arabic, and several dialects are used in Syria. Mainly the Levantine dialect is heard in the western portions of the country while the Mediterranean dialect is used on the northeastern side. There are quite a few minor languages spoken here, but none carry any kind of official status. English and French are widely studied as foreign languages, with English being the dominant one.

The conflict in Syria and its history are complicated, much too complicated to give it any justice in this blog post. The problem with countries that have been inhabited for thousands and thousands of years is that there is a ton of history that goes with it. I read an article once about the threat of looting antiquities from the bombed out libraries and museums. The somewhat good news is that due to the bravery of a few, much of it has been saved, but I imagine some collections may never be whole again. In October 2018, the National Museum of Damascus reopened after being closed for nearly seven years. We know who the true heroes are.

Up next: art and literature

LEBANON: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

 

In 2006 Anthony Bourdain traveled to Beirut, Lebanon to tape an episode of his show Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. The first part of the show was business as usual, showcasing some of the best dishes that this international city has to offer. Halfway through their taping, things drastically changed when the Israel-Lebanon War trapped them in their hotel and limited their movements. Instead of killing the episode, they continued taping, documenting the war from their point-of-view of being a foreigner in a hotel during a war. They eventually got out safe and sound. But the heightened security was nerve-racking, and the regular staccato gunfire served as an ominous soundtrack. Skip ahead to last week (11/12/2015), the day before the infamous attacks on Paris: ISIS suicide bombers attacked the city of Beirut, killing 43. It was the worst terrorist attack in the city since the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990). But news of this attack got lost in the midst of the Paris attacks.

The origin of the word Lebanon is stemmed from the Semitic word for white, Ibn. It may have been a reference to the snow-white tops of Mt. Lebanon, located in the northern region of the country. The country has been mentioned in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Hebrew Bible, in papers at the library at Ebla (one of the early kingdoms in Syria), and in Ancient Egyptian texts. 

Lebanon is surrounded on the north and east by Syria and by Israel on the south. It has a long western coastline along the Mediterranean Sea. Across the Mediterranean Sea to the northwest is the island nation of Cyprus (I covered Cyprus a while back—it’s the island that looks like a narwhal). It's located in an area often referred to as the Levant. Lebanon is divided into four areas: the coastal areas, the Lebanon Mountain range, the Anti-Lebanon Mountains (is this some kind of parallel universe? Like matter and anti-matter? Actually, it refers to the fact that it lies opposite of the Lebanon Range, which lies mostly in Syria, ironically), and the Beqaa Valley (the country’s major agricultural lands). Lebanon is known for its forests of cedar trees. In fact, it’s so important, it’s on their flag. However, these forests are constantly under threat of forest fire and deforestation. Lebanon is the only Arab country that doesn’t have a desert or camels. The summers are generally hot while the winters can be cold, and many areas, especially in the higher elevations, receive heavy snow. 

 

This land has been controlled by a myriad of other civilizations and kingdoms throughout history. During Biblical times, this area was part of Canaan and home to the Canaanites and their descendents, the Phoenicians who were a seafaring people. The area fell under Persian rule for nearly two centuries before Alexander the Great took control. The 4^th and 5^th centuries brought along a new change for this area: Maronite Christianity began to spread across the land. And because of their location between the Roman Empire and the Persian Empire, many battles were fought here. Muslim Arabs took over Syria a couple of centuries later, and later on the Druze (a branch of Shia Islam) began to establish a stronghold in southern Lebanon. There was a lot of tension between the Roman Christians and the various Muslim groups during the 11^th century onwards. When Anatolia (now most of modern day Turkey) became a Muslim territory, the Pope was asked to step in for guidance: thus began a series of battles called The Crusades. There was quite a bit of unrest between the various Muslim and Christian groups in Lebanon, and in fact, the Druzes killed about 10,000 Christians during the violence of the mid-19^th century. WWI came and this area became known as Great Lebanon under the French Mandate of Syria and Lebanon. Many people died of starvation during the war. Largely a Christian country at the time, France formed the Lebanese Republic in 1926. However, it wouldn’t be until the end of WWII until Lebanon would fully be an independent nation. The new Lebanon understood the sensitivity of its religious diversity, so it came up with this pact: its president is Maronite Christian; its speaker of parliament is Shiite Muslim; its prime minister is Sunni Muslim; and its deputy speaker of parliament and deputy prime minister is a Greek Orthodox. Just after this, Lebanon supported the Arab countries in a war against Israel. Regional conflicts led to many Palestinians to flee to Lebanon. In 1975, Lebanon would enter its own civil war that would last until 1990. Christians fought against a combination of PLO, Druze, and other Muslim militias for nearly 15 years. During the early 1980s, American, French, Italian, and British forces were deployed to fight against the siege of Beirut. US and French barracks were bombed by suicide bombers from an Islamic Jihadist group, resulting in 241 American soldiers killed, 58 French soldiers, and 6 civilians. In 2006, Lebanon entered into a war with Israel ending with far more Lebanese killed than Israelis. Shortly after this, other insurgent groups from Syria and nearby areas began operating throughout Lebanon and the general region. Lebanon has been on the edge of its seat, hoping the Syrian civil war wouldn’t spill over the border, but last week, it looks like it did. 

  

Beirut, Lebanon’s largest city and capital city, lies on a peninsula on the Mediterranean Sea, almost in the middle of its western coastal border. There hasn’t been a census taken since 1932, but estimates given suggest a population of around a million people, maybe twice that in the Greater Beirut area. The central district is one of the most vibrant areas in Lebanon and serves as the center for business, government, and culture. Some of the world’s best nightclubs and restaurants are located in Beirut. There are also more than 60 gardens in this area as well. Despite some shaky political and security issues, Beirut still ranks high on lists of cities to visit. There are numerous universities, business, and organizational headquarters located here, modern infrastructure, a number of world-renowned museums, sports arenas, and media outlets. 

 

The Lebanese economy fared pretty well during the global economic crisis of 2008. However, security and political issues in the region stemmed from Syrian Civil War/Arab States conflicts have a great propensity to weaken their economy. Many Lebanese have fled the country in the past decade and send back remittances to family members who are still there. Lebanon does have a large agricultural sector as well as a large number of skilled workers. Oil has been discovered in the seabed of the Mediterranean Sea, and Lebanon, Cyprus, Israel, and Egypt are in talks discussing the best way to move forward. They do rely on tourism, but the conflicts in Syria have dropped tourism numbers significantly. 

 

Lebanon has a fairly diverse religious make up. Although Lebanon had a Christian majority at one time, it now it has a slight Muslim majority, which is about equally divided between Shia and Sunni. There is still a large Christian population (a variety of denominations), followed by a smaller number of Jews, Buddhist, Baha’i, Hindus, and Mormons. 

  

The official language is Arabic, and the majority of the people speak a variety known as Lebanese Arabic. There are still a few instances where French is still used, such as a secondary language of educational instruction. And although France controlled the country as a mandate during WWI, there are a small number of people who still speak French in the home. Deaf people in Lebanon learn Lebanese Sign Language. A growing number of Lebanese youth are ditching Arabic to French or English who see it as more popular and more advantageous on a global scale. Smaller pockets of ethnic neighborhoods (mostly Armenian, Greek, and Kurdish) still speak their native languages. 

 

Because Lebanon reaches back to Antiquity, the people here have been doing amazing things for thousands and thousands of years. The first law school in the world was established in Beirut. It is mentioned numerous times throughout the Bible and in other ancient texts. The Bible mentions that Jesus performed his first miracle in Lebanon. The Phoenicians were the ones who built one of the first ships and many believe they sailed to America long before Christopher Columbus did. Lebanese people and those in Diaspora have contributed to the arts, technology, politics, sciences, and other fields. And since I love the food from this area of the world, I’m very excited about all of this.

Up next: art and literature

JORDAN: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

As another country that doubles as a first name, you’d be hard pressed if you haven’t heard of Jordan, especially if you pay any attention to the news. I suppose there are more than a few who only watch the dumbest of TV shows, and well… I promised I would stop going off on tangents, even though that is certainly tangent worthy. But it’s a topic for another time. There’s a lot going on in this area of the world. And I’m hoping to shed some light into the culture where this is taking place. 

 

This country is named after the Jordan River, a major river in this area. It essentially runs from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea and partly serves as the border between Israel and Jordan. 

Jordan lies in the Middle East in an area sometimes called the Levant. This is the area that is closest to the Mediterranean Sea. It is surrounded by Israel (along with the West Bank and the Golan Heights) to the west, Syria to the north, Iraq to the northeast, and Saudi Arabia to the south and east. Jordan also shares a border with the Gulf of Aqaba and the Dead Sea, which are really the most significant bodies of water in the entire country. The Dead Sea is actually the lowest place on earth at 408 m (1338.58 ft) below sea level. The country varies between arid desert plateaus and arable mountain regions and generally has a Mediterranean climate. 

This area is steeping in Biblical history, and several of the kingdoms mentioned in the Bible originated here, like the Kingdom of Moab, the Kingdom of Ammon, the Kingdom of Edom, and others. It was also included as part of other kingdoms that extended its way into this region: the Akkadians, the ancient Egyptians, the Hittites, the Persians, the Greeks, the Nabateans, a number of other empires including at times, the Israelites. The Nabateans were the ones who developed the Nabatean alphabet, originally based on Aramaic, and eventually became the basis of the Arabic script. The Nabateans also left us the city of Petra, known for its rock-cut structures and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This country began to be known as Transjordan, and this name will stick around until they declare their independence. There were many Jewish settlements in this area, but Christianity quickly spread across the region because of the Roman Empire. But like most places in this region, the Ottomans eventually took over (and stayed for the next 400 years), bringing with them Islam. While the fighting of WWI was happening in Europe, there was another fight happening: the Transjordan troops were fighting against the Ottoman Empire and were generally supported by the Allies. (This revolt was highlighted by T.E. Lawrence and served as the basis of the movie Lawrence of Arabia.) Afterwards, Transjordan was placed under the British Mandate for Palestine. In 1946, Transjordan gained its independence, officially becoming the Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan. A few years later, the “trans” was dropped, becoming the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. They went through Palestine to attack Jerusalem. Throughout the latter part of the 20^th century, Jordan and Israel would fight several wars over the Palestinian states and land occupation, and several peace treaties have been signed.

The capital and largest city, Amman, has about 4 million people, making it about the size of Los Angeles. Because it’s one of the largest cities in this area, it’s also a center for government, media, arts, education, and business. Amman is also one of the oldest, continuously inhabited cities in the world. At one time, the city was renamed Philadelphia by the Macedonian Greek ruler of Egypt at that time. The Ottomans moved the capital to the city of Salt, but when the British took control, it was moved back to Amman. The city itself now spreads across 19 hills, and it can actually get cold enough to snow (which seems weird to me because I always think of it as a warm country). Although the city has very ancient roots, it is very much of a modern city today. Complete with several universities, mass transit, growing financial and commercial sectors, sports, and a thriving culinary scene, Amman enjoys a large tourist season throughout much of the year. 

Jordan enjoys a moderately high economy and benefits from trade agreements with Turkey and the European Union. Larger portions of their economy are based on the production of various fertilizers, medicaments, and textiles. The country suffers from low natural resources, which forces them to become reliant on foreign aid and trade for food and energy resources. It’s the only country in this region to not have its own oil reserves. Battling high unemployment and poverty, they also suffer from having the top students choosing to work abroad and send their remittances home. However, their growing financial, commercial, and tourism industries are helping the country regain some of its footing. 

The official language is Standard Arabic, which is the language of education and government business. English is so widely spoken that many college courses are taught in English, and it’s become the de facto language of commerce and banking as well.  You’ll also find French and German taught, but mostly in the private and elite sections. Along with those languages, there are several other languages that have pockets of speakers throughout the country: Chechen, Circassian, Armenian, Tagalog, and Russian. 

The vast majority (about 92%) practice Sunni Islam, and there is a smaller percentage of other Islamic denominations. There is also a small Christian population in Jordan. Christian lawmakers actually have a certain number of seats reserved, and many business owners traditionally have been Christian. Smaller pockets of other religions like Druze and Bahá’í are spread throughout the country. Although religious freedom is technically on the books, there is some controversy as to how protected the minority religions are. 

Jordan is an ancient land, and there are many places mentioned in the Bible that are widely believed to be in present-day Jordan. Moses’ burial place is thought to be near Mount Nebo. The ancient city of Petra that was carved into rock is thought to be nearly 2000 years old, but it wasn’t known to the western world until the 19^th century. John the Baptist was imprisoned in a Jordanian palace near the city of Madaba. The culture here is different from other areas, especially in comparison to European-based cultures. Jordanians are a very welcoming people and often offer coffee or tea to friends and visitors. They are especially cautious about admiration and praise and often warn against it. Admiring something in someone’s home will often prompt the owner to give it to their guest, and praising children excessively is often viewed as bad luck. There are a lot of customs concerning eating and being in the home and in public. But I will throw caution to the wind, however, and say that I have picked out some really good recipes and cannot wait to make them.

Up next: art and literature

ISRAEL: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

When I was a kid growing up in the 1980s, I always imagined Israel looked exactly like the pictures in the children’s Bibles. I thought that it probably still looked like that even in 1986. I figured there were still low-lying trees and a lot of rocks and the people wandered around in sandals and their mother’s sheets. (Well, that’s how we dressed for the Christmas plays, and I figured it was probably like that there, too. I was six years old growing up in rural Indiana.) But as I got older, and I saw images of modern Israelis running through streets trying to hide from gunfire, grenades, and bombs; I realized they wore jeans and regular clothes just like most other people did. But it took a long time to figure out why almost every time Israel was in the news here, it was for something bad. (One time, I turned on Anthony Bourdain’s new show Parts Unknown to see him talking about food in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. It was a nice change.) 

 

The land where the country of Israel is has been known by many names in its long history. Officially, it’s known as the State of Israel, but in the past it has also been known as Judea, Eretz Israel (“Land of Israel”), Zion, Samaria, Southern Syria, Canaan, Syria-Palaestina, among others. The name “Israel,” meaning “struggles with God,” is attributed to its patriarch Jacob. It was his sons who were named the “Twelve Tribes of Israel” or sometimes the “Children of Israel.”

  

Israel lies on the eastern side of the Mediterranean Sea, bordered by Lebanon and Syria to the north, Jordan to the east, and the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula to the southwest. It also has a very short coast along the Gulf of Aqaba, which empties into the Red Sea. This area is sometimes referred to as the Levant. There are also three disputed areas within Israel (I’m sure you’ve heard these mentioned before): the Gaza Strip (a small section along the Mediterranean coast bordering Egypt), the Golan Heights (a small area in the north bordering Syria and Lebanon), and the West Bank (a large area east of Jerusalem and extending to the Syrian border). Israel’s landscape varies between mountainous to some forest areas to desert to coastal areas. The Sea of Galilee, the lowest freshwater lake in the world, is a large lake often mentioned in the Bible as well as the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is a popular tourist destination because of the “healing powers” of its salinity, and it’s also the lowest point on earth. The Negev Desert in the southern region actually takes up nearly 60% of the country, but only 8% of the population lives there. 

Sea of Galilee

Israel is the setting for many Biblical stories, so people have been there for thousands of years. There were many villages around the land, mostly supporting themselves by farming and herding animals. It seems to me that the country of Israel is one of those countries where everyone was trying to grab a piece of this area. It has been part of many other empires, including the Persians, the Greeks, the Hasmoneans, the Roman Empire, the Byzantines, the Arabs, Crusaders, Seljuks, and the Ottoman Empire. After the British defeated the Ottoman Empire, they divided up much of their territory between themselves and France; the British placed the Judean area (now Israel) under a mandate called Mandatory Palestine (Geez, could they find a less flattering name? Why didn’t they follow suit as their other territories, colonies, and mandates? I mean, British Judea would’ve sounded better.). During this time, many of the Jewish people here left the country for Europe, the United States, Canada, and other areas in the Middle East. When WWII was finally over, British then found itself at violent odds against the Jewish people here, and to an extent, the Arab community as well. However, at the same time, there were thousands of Holocaust survivors trying to come back to Israel amid the tensions. In 1948, David Ben-Gurion declared Israel’s independence as a Jewish state. Israel’s independence was not an easy thing to establish. Pretty much from the get-go, they were almost immediately thrown into more conflict with several Arab countries over the establishment of a Jewish state. Afterwards, Gaza was annexed to Egypt, and the West Bank was annexed to Jordan. During the 1950s, Egypt banned Israel shipping lines from using the Suez Canal, a major waterway allowing ships to travel from the Mediterranean Sea to the Dead Sea, which leads to the Arabian Sea. The Six Days War of 1967 led to the taking of the Golan Heights. There were many Israeli athletes killed during an attack at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich.  Since then, there have been more conflicts between the same combatants as well as many attempts at peaceful interventions. 

Famous Western Wall in Jerusalem

The de facto capital is Jerusalem, one of the oldest cities in the world—and one of the holiest. It’s an important city in three major religions in this area: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. It’s a resilient city, surviving over 121 incidents of sieges, attacks, complete devastation, and capture/recaptures. While it is often listed as the capital of Israel, this is disputed between Israel and Palestine (which operates parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip). The city lays on a plateau that is part of the Judean Mountains. It’s not far from the Mount of Olives and Mount Scopus. Jerusalem is known for being divided into quarters based on demographics: the Muslim Quarter, the Armenian Quarter, the Jewish Quarter, and the Christian Quarter. Despite uprisings and conflicts, many people still flock to Jerusalem as a cultural and religious center. It’s host to first-rate museums, theatres, universities, stadiums, business centers and markets, parks, and other attractions. American actress Natalie Portman was born in Jerusalem. 

Israel is one of the most economically advanced countries in its region. It has the second-largest number of start-ups (the United States is the largest), and outside of the US, Israel has the largest number of companies listed on the NASDAQ. Much of this is due to the types of commerce it specializes in: pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, software and electronics technology, rough and cut diamonds, fuels, and military technology/equipment. Israel also has a highly developed agricultural sector as well, exporting products such as grains, beef, fruits, and nuts. Israel is a huge center for science- and technology-based industries, and the country has wrapped its arms around solar energy (must be nice). They are also one of the world’s leading countries in terms of water conservation (California, you might want to talk to Israel about this). 

Israel is the only country in the world that has a Jewish majority. And while that is true, as I mentioned earlier, this country is also a center for many other religions. Judaism itself has different denominations (or maybe more like levels of how “Jewish” you are, perhaps?) like Haredi Jews, Religious Zionists, secular Jews, or traditional Jews. There is also a large Muslim population in Israel as well along with smaller populations of Christians, Bahá’ís, Buddhists, and Hindus. 

Shalom = Hello

Officially, there are two main languages spoken and used in Israel: Hebrew and Arabic (Hebrew being the majority language). Many Israelis speak and understand English because of its international role; school children study English from an early age. Because Israel is a haven for many immigrants from Russia, Ethiopia, and Northern Africa, you’ll also find pockets of Russian, Amharic, and French speakers throughout Israel (mostly in the urban areas). 

Olive tree, an important part of their cuisine

The thing about Israel is that they are at the top or nearly at the top of things I think would surprise a lot of people. Israel is home to many technology companies’ research and development centers, such as Motorola and Cisco. There has been many program developments and inventions produced in Israel: cell phones, voice mail (actually, I think this is the worst invention ever, next to speaker phone), anti-virus software, and computer processors. Israeli paper money has Braille on it so that blind people can identify which bills they have. They were also the first country to adopt the Kimberly Process, which is a process of determining that diamonds came from conflict-free zones. Israel also publishes more books (per capita) than any other country, but that’s not all: they also have more home computers, museums, orchestras, media coverage, cancer survivors, in-vitro fertilization (and it’s free!), immigrants, ratio of university degrees, engineers, scientists, PhD degree holders, physicians, the largest consumers of fruits and veggies, and producers of milk per capital in the world.  It certainly has a lot to be proud of. So, let’s delve into Israeli culture while we wait to eat!

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